Mammalian Reproduction, Sensory Systems and Conservation Terms

Posted on Jan 31, 2026 in Biology

Mammalian Reproduction, Sensory Systems & Conservation

Lecture 16 — Reproduction II

  • Immunorejection – Maternal immune system attacking the embryo because it is genetically half paternal.
  • Choriovitelline placenta – Marsupial yolk-sac placenta with weak attachment and low efficiency.
  • Embryonic diapause – Temporary pause in embryonic development before implantation.
  • Zona pellucida – Glycoprotein coat around an oocyte or blastocyst that prevents polyspermy and offers protection.
  • Delayed fertilization – Sperm stored for months before fertilization (e.g., temperate bats).
  • Delayed implantation – Blastocyst pauses development before attaching to the uterus.
  • Trophoblast – Outer layer of the blastocyst that invades the uterus and forms the placenta.
  • Endometrium – Uterine lining where implantation occurs.
  • Chorionic villi – Placental projections that increase the surface area for nutrient exchange.
  • Chorioallantoic placenta – Highly efficient eutherian placenta.
  • Altricial – Born poorly developed (blind, hairless, helpless).
  • Precocial – Born well developed (furred, eyes open, mobile).

Lecture 17 — Reproduction III & Mating Systems

  • Anisogamy – Difference in gamete size (large eggs, small sperm).
  • Polygamous – Any mating system with multiple partners.
  • Polygyny – One male mates with multiple females.
  • Social monogamy – A long-term social pair bond.
  • Resource defense polygyny – Males defend valuable resources that females need.
  • Genetic monogamy – All offspring genetically belong to the social pair; very rare.
  • Extra-pair paternity (EPP) – Offspring sired by individuals outside the social pair.
  • Non-parental infanticide – Killing of infants by individuals other than the parents.
  • Bruce effect – Pregnancy termination triggered by the scent of unfamiliar males.

Lecture 18 — Olfaction

  • Allomone – Chemical affecting another species that benefits the sender.
  • Kairomone – Chemical cue benefiting the receiver; often prey detecting predators.
  • Pheromone – Chemical signal influencing behavior or physiology of conspecifics.
  • Fermentation hypothesis – Microbes in scent glands produce odorants important for communication.
  • Pseudogene – Nonfunctional gene created by mutation.
  • Birth–death gene evolution – Gene families expand via duplication and shrink via gene loss.

Lecture 19 — Acoustics

  • Ultrasound – Sound above 20 kHz.
  • Infrasound – Sound below 20 Hz.
  • Audible sound – 20–20,000 Hz (typical human hearing range).
  • Semantic communication – Signals with specific meanings tied to particular threats or objects.
  • Echolocation – Emitting sound and using returning echoes to sense surroundings.
  • Terminal feeding buzz – Rapid click sequence during the final prey approach in bats and odontocetes.
  • Seismic signal – Ground-borne vibrations used for communication or detection.

Lecture 20 — Vision

  • Trichromatic vision – Color vision using three cone types.
  • Dichromatic vision – Color vision using two cone types (ancestral mammalian state).

Lecture 21 — Rhino Reproduction

  • Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) – Substances that interfere with hormonal signaling.
  • Phytoestrogens – Plant-derived estrogen-like compounds that activate estrogen receptors.

Lecture 22 — Domestication

  • Hunter-gatherer society – Mobile humans relying on wild plants and animals.
  • Fertile Crescent – Early center of agriculture and domestication.
  • Neolithic Revolution – Transition to agriculture and permanent settlements.
  • Neoteny – Retention of juvenile traits into adulthood.
  • Fat tree – Phylogeny showing extensive mixing and admixture among lineages.

Lecture 23 — Primate & Human Evolution

  • Hominoidea – Clade containing apes and humans.
  • Hominin – Human lineage after splitting from chimpanzees.
  • hCONDEL – Human-specific deletion of conserved regulatory DNA regions.
  • Denisovan – Extinct hominin group known from genome data.

Lecture 24 — Andean Bears

  • Camera trap – Automated wildlife-sensing camera.
  • Concession area – Land allocated for sustainable conservation or economic use.
  • Ecotourism – Tourism that supports conservation and local communities.
  • Range limit – Geographic boundary beyond which a species does not persist.

Lecture 25 — Conservation

  • IUCN – Organization that evaluates global species extinction risk.
  • HICOP A – Major biodiversity threats:
    • Habitat loss
    • Invasive species/disease
    • Climate change
    • Overexploitation
    • Pollution
    • Accidental mortality